Door hinge



L. A. WOODRUFF DOOR HINGE April 23, 1929.

FiledSept. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 23, 1929. D FF' 1,710,396

' noon HINGE Filed Sept. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jut 71604 R I I zem gmmza Patented Apr. 23, 19 29.

UNITED. STA

z LEON A. WOODRUFF, OF

COMPTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOE OF ONE-HALF TO MA'UD ANDERSON, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

DOOR HINGE.

6 Application filed September My invention relates to hingesof the con- Y cealed type having an composed of laminated parts. One object of a hinge which is strong and to manufacture, the construction being of a such nature that rattling and loose motion are practically impossible when in use.

Another object is to provide a hinge having a comparatively small depth so that only a shallow cut into the stationary vertical pillar is required for its installation. Also by means of its linked construction a large throwout is permitted so that a considermy invention is to provide able clearanceis provided when the door is" opened, and yet when the door is closed the links fold into a very compact arrangement.

A further object is to provide -an improved method of securing the hin e to the 'door of an automobile after the hinge has been mounted in the stationary vertical pil- .A further object of my invention is to provide an improved casing fora concealed automobile door hinge of such construction as to enable it' to be mounted in a recess cut by means of a circular cutter, thereby avoiding an expensive mortise, as used in similar hinge constructions at the present time.

A practical embodiment of the preferred form of my invention is shown. in the accompanying drawings wherein, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of an automobile body and door indicating thereon the 5 location of my concealed door hinges.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation showing three hinges supporting an automobile door. a Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional viewtaken through a door and a stationary pillar show- Iing a plan view of the hinge in its closed position at the beginning of -the throwout. Fig. 4 is another viewthereof with the hinge in its fully opened position, showing the extent of the throwout. I f

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hinge in open position.

' Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofthe hinge casing illustrating the manner in which it may be mounted in the milled groove shown in connection with it.

Fig. 7 ,is a side section of one, form of my two part door bracket. Fig. 8 is an elevation of another modification thereof, and

yet inexpensive.

22, 1926. Serial No. 186,972.

Fig. 9 is a further modification of a .detail of the hinge.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the locations of the concealed hinges 10, 11 and 12 are shown in the automobile body 13, having a door 14. In Fig. 2 three hinges are shown mounted in a vertical line in the door groove, the hinge 12 being designed to take care of the curve in the body of the automobile. Fig. 3 shows the compact ar- 5 rangement of the various links that make up the hinge mounted in the stationary vertical piller 15, with the door 14 in closed position.

h It willbe readily seen that this construction requires only a shallow cut into the pillar, 7 thereby preserving practically the full strength thereof. Fig. 4 shows thecloor 14 open fully at an angle of ninety degrees to thebody and illustrating the large throw obtainable through my arrangement of the links of my hinge, which is a very desirable feature in automobile design. As shown in Fig. 5, the stationary base plate 16 has a central projection or horizontal bar 17 formed integral therewith to which one end of the main links 18, 18 are pivoted at 19. The other end of the links, 18, 18 are pivoted at 20, 20 to th'yreduced end of the rocker or pivot block 21. Another pair of main links 22, 22' ar e pivoted at 23, 23 to the unre- 5 duced portion of ,the plate 16, so that in operation the links-22, 22 may slide smoothly and without binding over the links 18, 18 respectively. The other ends of the links v22, 22 have enlarged ends which are pivoted at 25, 25 to the rocker block 21, and at 22 2 2 to the links 24, 24 respectively. The auxiliary links 24, 24 are also pivoted at26, 26 to the lugs 27 27 respectively. These lugs project horizontally from the movable plate or butt member 28 and are formed integraltlrerewith. The lugs 27 27 are also pivoted at 29, 29 to the rocker block. 21.

The main links 18, 18 and 22, 22' control the movement ofthe hinge in a predetermined path and together with the aux iliary links 24, 24' and the rocker block21 give the hinge the *desired amount of throwout. The rocker block is formed of a solid pieceofmetal and forms a base to which the links "18, 22. lug '27, and the links 18, 22' arid, lug 27 may be pivoted. This block forms a bearing surface also forthe aforementioned links and lugs and gives great strength to the hinge as a whole. The edges and sides of the various links and lugs are curved so as to give clearance to each other throughout the various stages of the hinge outer surface thereof. In tional compactness of the hmge is secured.

curved sufficiently to give The base plate 16 is rounded at its rear corners as shown in Fig. 5, for instance,

of a plate 3 into the pillar ,15.

of the butt member 28.

preferably arranged to provide "converging whereby it can be firmly anchored by screws in the'eurved opening 31 of the pillar 15, thus obviating the labor of cutting the rectangular mortisesas required by the general practice at the present. time. In Fig. 6 I have shown a shell 32 which is designed to enclose all but the face of the base plate 16 to protect the same against moisture, etc: The shell 32 is shaped to fit within the opening 31and is provided with holes 33 through which the screws pass fromthe plate 16 As illustrated in Fig. 5, the hinge proper is preferably secured to the door 14 by means first attached to the door by screws 35. v upper end in a flange 36 which forms a channel for the upper edge of the butt member 28 of the hinge. Screws pass through the openings 37 in the butt member and openings 38 in the plate for retaining the huge in position. By removing the last mentioned screws, the door can be removed very conveniently as will be understood. In replacing the doors, the flange 36 guides the butt member whereby the holes 37 are brought into registering relation with the holes 38 of the plate. I F v,

In Fig. 8 a modified 'form of'the plate is shown and is indicated by numeral 39. Plate 39 differs from .of flanges 40 and 41'which embrace the ends The flanges. are

the movement of e position where channels arranged to limit the butt member 28 at t the holes 42 register with the butt and plate respectively. The flanges provide a very secure means of attaching the butt to theplate, the screws which pass through the holes 42 and 43 serving to prevent lateral movement of the butt, as will be seen. The modification shown in Fig. 8 may also comprise a stop member or lug 44 on the plate 28 which seats in.the recess 45 in the butt member when the two members are in operative position. The lug'44 serves to center the butt member with reference to the plate tocause the screw holes to register i plate 34 terminates at its plate 34 in that it has a pair the holes 43 of properly and it also acts as a stop, as will be seen. g i

In Fig. 9, the plate 46 is adapted to beattached larly to plates 34 and 39, previously described. The plate 46 has an overturned upper flange 47 which is cut away at each upper corner, whereby the said flange can be lowered into the recess 48 formedin the upper edge of the butt plate 49 which corresponds to the previously described butt 28. This interlocking arrangement assists in preventing and holds the being secured ody. As will be noticed in Fig. 5, which shows the hinge in open position, the links-22 and 22 pass into .a recess or slot formed in the right hand side wall 16 of the member 16.

same in correct position while The upper and lower walls of the recess embrace and serve to reinforce the said links and hinge structure and resist side strain and prevent any racking 012 the hinge when the door is in open position. The right hand wall16 of themember 16 is 'at 16, into which slot the forward ends of links 18 and 18' fit when the hinge is closed, whereby the hinge structure is similarly rigidly supported when the same is in closed position.

7 Although I have shown certain features of my improvements for the purpose of illustration, it will be apparent that various changes may be made therein without departing from the 'spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim as new is:

' 1. A hinge comprising a main plate, a block having a reduced end, a pair of links pivoted to saidplate and to said reduced end, asecond pair of links also pivoted to said plate and to the unreduced portion of said block, a plate having lugs pivoted to said block and a third pair of links pivoted to said lugs and said second pair of links. 2. A hinge comprising a main plate, a

to the pillar ofthe automobile to a door of an automobilesimi+ lateral movement of the door '90 also slotted, as

block having a reduced end, a pair of links pivoted to said plate and to said reduced end, a second pair of links also pivoted to said'plate and to the unreduced portion of said block, a plate having lugs pivoted to said block and a third pair of links ivoted to said lugs and said second pair 0 links, said links and block being arranged 'for folding into compact relation-between said plate's' when the latter are in closed position.

3. hinge for automobile doors comprising a base member having vertical side walls, each of which is slotted, a second plate, and link connections between said plates whereby the same are relatively movable, one of said slots having walls hinge is in open position and the other slot having walls for reenforcing the link con-' neetion when the hinge is closed.

4. A hinge structure comprising a base plate having a transverse member provided with oppositely disposed faces, a pair oflinks pivoted coaxially one to eachface of said member, a block member pivotallysccured at one end between said links, a second pair of links pivoted to the base plate and to said block and a movable plate provided with ears overlying portions of said block,

and being pivoted thereto, said base plate having oppositely recessed side Walls, one recess being adapted to receive said second pair of links and block when the hinge is in open position to reinforce the same,the torward ends of said first pair of links being arranged to fit snugly in said other recess when the hinge is in closed position.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

LEON A. WOODRUFF. 

